A Good Filming and A Good Forking…Getting Ready for T-Day in France

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A GOOD FILMING
Australian food blogger and relative new-comer to Paris, Emerald Bond, found an apartment in which to host her ‘pop up dinners.’ House Hunters International filmed the adventure this past weekend for a future episode. Along with her friend, Wallis, who was once her boss and is now a ‘cohort in Paris food crime,’ the two young Aussies visited three properties with me before making a choice to rent one of them.
This is the House Hunters International formula for success…the TV show broadcast by HGTV keeps the audience in suspense as we traipse around Paris looking at the pros and cons of each apartment before the property-seeker settles on the one that’s ‘perfect.’ Of course, when weighing the pros and cons, the mottos are always “there is no such thing as the perfect Paris apartment” and “there are always trade-offs to be made.”
I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you which apartment Emerald chose to call her own…but no question, it was the closest to perfect she was going to get! Watch our site for air dates (adrianleeds.com/) and note that several of our episodes are about to air soon:
**NEW EPISODE**
“Living a Teenage Dream in Paris, France” – Episode HHINT-6105H
Air dates/times:
November 27, 2013 10:30 PM e/p
November 27, 2013 1:30 AM e/p
“Planning a Future in Paris, France” – Episode HHINT-5612H
Air dates/times:
December 12, 2013 at 10:30 p.m. E/P
December 13, 2013 at 1:30 a.m. E/P
“Sizing up the Parisian Suburbs” – Episode HHINT-3803
Air dates/times:
December 15, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. E/P
Turkey dinner in AnsouisA GOOD FORKING
It’s just a week and a half away — my favorite American holiday — Thanksgiving. It’s a quiet time of year here in Paris because Americans tend to stay close to home for the holiday. This is actually a good time to visit Paris and rent an apartment, as the rates are lower this time of year for that very reason!
Americans in Paris (and across the globe) don’t let Thanksgiving pass easily without celebrating it wherever they are. As I have the past two years, I’m heading south next week to my friend’s country home in Ansouis (vrbo.com), for a traditional turkey and eat-fest while enjoying the Provençal countryside with a visiting niece from New York. Then, we will drive to Nice for a weekend on the sunny Riviera — and you’ll be hearing all about it on Monday when all Americans head back to work. That Monday, we’ll be back at work, too, filming yet another House Hunters International here in Paris!
Thanksgiving in Paris (or anywhere in France) can be had at home with a French turkey and all the fixin’s, with a group of friends or, of course, in a restaurant that is preparing a special meal.
If you’re cooking a French turkey at home, be prepared! Order up the bird from your butcher in advance and don’t expect it to come with the neck, heart, gizzard or liver unless you ask specifically for it. And expect it to be very expensive! The going rate is between 8 and 12 per kilo and an average turkey is about four or five kilos. French free range turkeys are also large in size, but lighter in weight than an American turkey, the meat is leaner, darker, juicier and cooks in HALF the time (I swear!) — perhaps because the meat isn’t as dense, although this is just a guess.
For the fixin’s (cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie filling, sweet potatoes, etc.), if you don’t bring them from the States, you might try these resources here in France:
mylittleamerica.com/
myamericanmarket.com/
thanksgivingparis.com/
Sweet potatoes are relatively easy to find, and least expensive if you peruse the markets catering to West Africans…such as the one rue Dejean in the 18th arrondissement at M° Château Rouge.
If you’d rather leave all the cooking and clean-up to the restaurants, here are a few great choices (but reserve now!):
A Priori Thé
35-37 Galerie Vivienne
75002 Paris
Special Thanksgiving Dinner
Thursday, November 28, 8 p.m.
Two menus: Traditional and Vegetarian
60 Adults, 20 Children
Reservations: +33(0)1 42 97 48 75 or email: [email protected]
Joe Allen
30 Rue Pierre Lescot
75001 Paris
Special Thanksgiving Dinner
Thursday, November 28
46
Reservations: +33(0)1 42 36 70 13 or email [email protected]
Breakfast in Ameria’s Thanksgiving dinnerBreakfast in America
17, rue des Ecoles
75005 Paris
Thursday, November 28
32.95
Two seatings:
6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Reservations by email only: [email protected]
And if you prefer to be with a large group, or you are on your own and want some company, join one of the clubs:
American University Clubs of France (AUC)
Event Sponsor: lAtelier de Maître Albert, Chef Guy Savoy
1 Rue Maître Albert
75005 Paris, France
Monday, November 25
Welcome drink as of 7 p.m. and diner at 8 p.m.
From 48
Make Reservations
Happy Turkey Day…coming soon!
A la prochaine…
Adrian Leeds
Director of The Adrian Leeds Group, LLC
(Thanksgiving 2012)
P.S. When you’re a guest staying in any one of our luxurious Parler Paris Apartments or Parler Nice Apartments and would like to consider having your own “pied-à-terre” for your pleasure and profit, I’ll meet with you in person (or by phone/Skype!) for a FREE one-hour consultation. Simply fill out our consultation request form and then make your plans to meet or speak with while you’re enjoying the apartment in the City of Light or on the Riviera.
P.P.S. If you’re a subscriber to our French Property Insider newsletter, a reminder that we will be taking Thursday November 28 off and there will be no issue that day.
To read more, click the links below.